Prime Minister Stephen Harper unveiled Friday his fiscal priorities for Canada's next parliamentary session, saying his government would try to cut its huge deficit only after the recession ends.
In the meantime, he told his Conservative caucus, massive spending to stimulate the economy would continue.
"First, we must stay the course for now, the economic action plan has been working and we must see it through," Harper said.
"Second, we have been told (by Canadians) to start planning now for deficit reduction when the recession ends," he said.
"These are the messages that are guiding our work on the speech from the throne and on the budget that will be presented to the upcoming session of parliament."
This week, newly-appointed Treasury Board President Stockwell Day began preparing the country for years of spending restraint to rein in the government's record deficit -- set to top 170 billion Canadian dollars over five years.
"This is not a one-year road. This is going to be a journey of a few years," he told the daily Globe and Mail on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, indicators are now pointing to the beginnings of a turnaround in the economy.
Copyright 2010 AFP American Edition
